Monthly Archives: June 2016

A typical Autumnal day but then again it could have been summer according to the British weather. Off we set for Norwich. Our destination of choice was proposed by Ian who had studied there in the dark ages and convinced us that every corner had a pub and the streets were awash with ale… we were not disappointed.

Our first stop was the Adam and Eve, a 17th Century building with a small bar. A good place to start just for the quaint, albeit small interior serving great pub food. Essential lining for the day ahead. Without describing each stop, every pub had real ales and offered something for everyone.

Adam and Eve

The Fat Cat and Canary and the Coach and Horses are further out from the rest of the pubs listed so you might want to figure this in to your route. Perhaps as you arrive or leave via the main rail station. For us, the walk to The Fat Cat and Canary allowed a mid-trail break just to catch our breath…and let’s face it…empty the bladder too! None of us are getting any younger!!

Norwich Tap House

Our list of pubs which we recommend are:

Adam and Eve: Quaint 17th Century building serving hearty food.

Wig and Pen: Another 17th century building with half a dozen ales

Ribs of Beef: On the river with a range of up to a dozen ales

Norwich Tap House: 20 taps!! Watch out for the higher strengths!

St Andrews Brew House: Five house brews should keep you busy!

The Belgian Monk: Yes, a menu of Belgian beers…and food!

Vine Tavern: Quirky café style with small offering. Serve Thai food!

The Sir Garnet: Interesting multi level building.

Murderers: Happened to have a beer festival on our visit.

Kings Head: Half a dozen beers here.

Golden Star: Conveniently next to the hotel. One more for the road!

Micawbers Tavern: At least five ales…watched the rugby here!

Fat Cat and Canary: Mouth wide open at the choice of kegs!!

Coach and Horses: Own brews which don’t disappoint.

Our list is by no means definitive but it will give you somewhere reliable to head for. Apologies for the brief description and to those pubs not mentioned. Norwich is full of them!!

With bags-a-clinking we assembled and stored the 72 bottles (that’s four sets of the beers) in Ian and Steve’s fridges (they live next door to each other) and ice water buckets. Warm enough to sit outside we commenced tasting. Now, we are not trained tasters but between the five of us we thought we would be able to come up with a consensus on taste and more easily an outright winner.

The beers were the 18 featured in Aldi’s Summer Beer Festival at £1.25 a bottle. Couldn’t go wrong…could we?

White Witch (Moorhouse’s 3.9%)

Unicorn (Robinsons 4.3%)

Strongarm (Camerons 4.3%)

Maple Gold (Joseph Holt 4.3%)

A-hop-alypse Now (Camerons 4.3%)

Velo (Black Sheep 4.2%)

Wizard ( Robinsons 3.7%)

Golden Bolt (Box Steam 3.8%)

Wet Your Whistle (Box Steam 4.5%)

Wadworth 6X (Wadworth & Co. 4.3%)

The Rev James Rye (Brains 4.3%)

Double Dragon (Felinfoel 4.2%)

Hop Bomb (Sadlers 5.0%)

Surrey Nirvana (Hogs Back 4.0%)

Two Tribes (Everards 4.5%)

Mid Atlantic (Titanic 4.5%)

Castle (Arundel 3.8%)

Mellow Yellow (Sadlers 4.1%)

So after an afternoon/evening/night of tasting the outright winner was Robinsons Wizard! We thought it had a mellow maltiness with an underlying fruity vein and consistent taste throughout.

There weren’t any particular clangers as we tasted them all in equal measure and refused none. I’m not sure what that says about all of us. The least liked was Camerons Strongarm, a ruby red ale which left a metallic taste in the mouth. Not entirely unpleasant but not for us.